The Trouble with Harry
There is a dead well-dressed man in a meadow clearing in the hills above a small Vermont town. Captain Albert Wiles, who stumbles across the body and finds by the man's identification that his name is Harry Worp, believes he accidentally shot Harry dead while he was hunting rabbits. Captain Wiles wants to hide the body as he feels it is an easier way to deal with the situation than tell the authorities. While Captain Wiles is in the adjacent forest, he sees other people stumble across Harry, most of whom don't seem to know him or care or notice that he's dead. One person who does see Captain Wiles there is spinster Ivy Gravely, who vows to keep the Captain's secret about Harry. Captain Wiles also secretly sees a young single mother, Jennifer Rogers, who is the one person who does seem to know Harry and seems happy that he's dead. Later, another person who stumbles across both Harry and Captain Wiles is struggling artist Sam Marlowe, to whom Captain Wiles tells the entire story of what he has seen thus far. Over the course of the day, several revelations come to light that question if Captain Wiles actually killed Harry. Sam, Mrs. Rogers, Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely's individual and collective actions in the matter of Harry take into account friendship, self-preservation, the path of least resistance, love and a lot of realizations about what their past actions will mean. Their work may all be for naught if Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs, the closest thing to law enforcement in their town, finds out about Harry.
Despite its limited budget of $1.2M, The Trouble with Harry became a box office success, earning $7.0M worldwide—a 483% return. The film's fresh perspective connected with viewers, demonstrating that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Nominated for 2 BAFTA 1 win & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Trouble with Harry (1955) demonstrates carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Alfred Hitchcock's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 39 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.0, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Young Arnie walks through idyllic Vermont autumn woods with his toy gun, embodying innocent small-town life before discovering Harry's body.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Captain Wiles discovers that Harry is Jennifer's estranged husband, creating complications. What seemed like a simple accident becomes entangled with Jennifer's desire for freedom and multiple people's guilt.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The group actively chooses to bury Harry's body rather than report it to authorities, crossing into criminal conspiracy and committing to concealment., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The group realizes they must report Harry's death to authorities after all, facing potential arrest for concealment. Their careful plans collapse, and they prepare to confess everything and face consequences., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Resolution: Harry is officially reported and properly buried. Jennifer is free to marry Sam. Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely formalize their relationship. The deputy is satisfied. Sam sells his paintings. All loose ends are tied up with the community intact., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Trouble with Harry's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping The Trouble with Harry against these established plot points, we can identify how Alfred Hitchcock utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Trouble with Harry within the comedy genre.
Alfred Hitchcock's Structural Approach
Among the 20 Alfred Hitchcock films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.6, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Trouble with Harry takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Alfred Hitchcock analyses, see Family Plot, To Catch a Thief and Marnie.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Young Arnie walks through idyllic Vermont autumn woods with his toy gun, embodying innocent small-town life before discovering Harry's body.
Theme
Captain Wiles tells Sam the storekeeper, "Seems like the citizens around here take death mighty casual." The film's theme: death is natural, life goes on, and what matters is human connection.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the quirky Vermont community: Captain Wiles the retired sea captain, Miss Gravely the proper spinster, Sam the storekeeper, and Jennifer the young widow. Each character encounters Harry's body separately and believes they may have killed him.
Disruption
Captain Wiles discovers that Harry is Jennifer's estranged husband, creating complications. What seemed like a simple accident becomes entangled with Jennifer's desire for freedom and multiple people's guilt.
Resistance
The characters debate what to do about Harry's body. Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely wrestle with whether to report it. Sam Marlowe, the artist, becomes the unlikely voice of reason, suggesting they bury Harry quietly.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The group actively chooses to bury Harry's body rather than report it to authorities, crossing into criminal conspiracy and committing to concealment.
Premise
The promise of the premise: the darkly comic ballet of burying and re-digging Harry. The body is buried, dug up, moved, and reburied multiple times as circumstances change. Romance blooms between Sam and Jennifer, Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely.
Opposition
Complications mount: Deputy Sheriff Calvin Wiggs becomes suspicious and starts snooping around. The body must be moved again. Dr. Greenbow reveals he knows about Harry. The millionaire wants to buy Sam's paintings, creating pressure to maintain the secret.
Collapse
The group realizes they must report Harry's death to authorities after all, facing potential arrest for concealment. Their careful plans collapse, and they prepare to confess everything and face consequences.
Crisis
The characters glumly prepare to turn themselves in, contemplating arrest and scandal. They process the reality that their attempt to avoid trouble has only created more. Dark humor gives way to genuine concern.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Resolution: Harry is officially reported and properly buried. Jennifer is free to marry Sam. Captain Wiles and Miss Gravely formalize their relationship. The deputy is satisfied. Sam sells his paintings. All loose ends are tied up with the community intact.